Sam Concepcion, KD Estrada, Jeff Moses, and Anthony Rosaldo are set to take the stage in Bongga Ka, ’Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical.

Sam Concepcion, KD Estrada, Jeff Moses, and Anthony Rosaldo are set to take the stage in Bongga Ka, ’Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical on September 2026 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater.

Smart Ways to Avoid Overspending and to Keep Your Wallet Full for the Holidays

Mall hours have extended and every store seems to have a big 50% off sign. Christmas has transformed into this spending spree, often viewed as a dedicated time of the year to shop for gifts to give our loved ones. However, there are times when the pressure that comes with the season of giving is increasing people’s tendency to overspend—a common pitfall to starting the new year with financial burden.

Still, you don't have to deprive yourself to avoid overspending this season. Instead of a one-time big material purchase, invest in something more productive and that will strengthen your healthy financial habits for the next year. To help you keep your wallet full throughout the holidays, here are four ways you can try:

1. Create a holiday budget

2. Check the prices and track your total

Not just because an item is on sale, means it’s already worth buying. It is good practice to consider that heavily discounted items may be part of a seasonal clearance or may occasionally have minor packaging or display imperfections. Always compare the price and quality against similar items as this pause allows you to make more informed decisions and ensures the purchase aligns with your set budget.

3. Consider non-traditional/hand-made gifts

Sometimes, hand-crafted or non-traditional gifts carry more meaning than expensive, store-bought items. You can either opt for activities, DIYing gifts, or offer valuable gestures like a "One Home-Cooked Meal of Your Choice", or you can also support small local businesses that would genuinely benefit from your purchases. These practices cost little to no money but are surely high in sentimental value, reduces clutter, and perfect for those who already seem to have every material thing.

4. Set smart financial goals

Beyond spending, Christmas also offers a gift of time and rest, letting you use the holiday to reflect and pivot from seasonal spending to long-term saving. It is important to use this downtime to create a clear financial plan so you can fund future major milestones—be it your next holiday, or life investments such as buying a house, setting up a business, or building an emergency fund.

The fun in the season of giving should not come with the pressure and common misconception that equates material gifts with love or worth. It is important to reframe the holidays away from consumerism. By prioritizing sustainable financial habits during this time, you can easily safeguard your budget and proactively manage your money just in time for the new year.

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Tala’s award-winning financial literacy program, TALAkayan, also guides customers in better saving and budgeting to achieve their life goals. This workshop is designed to make personal finance simple, practical, and relatable for the everyday Filipino, teaching basic financial management topics and how to avoid potential risks and scams.

You can check out its digital content with new episodes coming out every Saturday on Tala’s official pages, further expanding its reach and impact from TALAkayan’s successful on-the-ground workshop series. This is part of its commitment to make financial education even more accessible to Filipinos and to bridge the gaps in financial inclusion. Visit Tala’s social media platforms, tala.ph, or get the official Tala app to know more. 

The barkada gets an extra dose of cool with Topee, the martial arts ace and certified athletic heartthrob. Originally portrayed by J.C. Bonnin in the 1984 classic, Topee makes his stage debut in the 2026 production of Bagets The Musical, where Jeff Moses and Sam Shoaf will take on the role. These young stars will spark high school kilig as they bring their own brand of charm and mystery to the beloved character.

Embodying Topee’s Hiligaynon roots with Jeff Moses

Jeff Moses is set to showcase Topee’s Hiligaynon roots in the upcoming Bagets The Musical, a detail that deeply resonates with his own background.

Born and raised in Negros Occidental, Moses knows the weight of distance and the bittersweet pull of home.

“Puli ‘ta Bacolod. Madalas ‘yun ‘yung sinasabi niya sa nanay niya (Let’s go home to Bacolod. That’s what he often tells his mother),” he shares. “Ako ramdam ko ‘yung bigat no’n kasi tuwing holidays na lang din ako nakakauwi sa’min. (I can really feel the weight of that because I only get to go home during the holidays).”

After signing with GMA Sparkle Artist Center, Moses moved to Metro Manila, where he began building a career in film and television.

He has since starred in Under a Piaya Moon, earning Best Actor at the 1st Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival, and appeared in the television series Abot Kamay na Pangarap and Magpakailanman. He was recognized as Outstanding Youth of the Philippines in the 2023 Philippine Outstanding Men & Women Awards.

“Si Topee kasi mabait, mature, at tinatratong pamilya ‘yung mga tropa niya, (Topee is kind, mature, and treats his friends like family),” he continues. “Pero deep inside, may tinatagong vulnerability (But deep inside, he hides a vulnerability).”

Life does not make it easy for the beloved character. He is pushed to grow up fast, stand on his own, and figure things out.

“Kahit ganun, siguro ang gusto kong ma-realize ng mga manonood ng Bagets The Musical ay hindi mawawala ’yung pagiging young at heart natin (Even so, what I hope audiences take away from Bagets The Musical is that our being young at heart never goes away,) ” Moses concludes. “Pwede pa rin tayong sumaya o malungkot na parang bata (We can still feel joy or sadness like a child.”

The 24-year-old artist is looking forward to his first theater stint. He admits feeling nervous about performing on a stage with no take twos or edits, just raw, live acting.

Finding Topee in Sam Shoaf

Sam Shoaf has a fun side unknown to most people. He loves the ’80s—the music, the fashion, the bright, lively colors.

“Everything was just full of life back then,” he says.

It’s the same spark he saw in Topee when he first watched the coming-of-age classic.

“If he were alive today, I think he’d be the kind of guy obsessed with working out on TikTok, always on his phone but never missing the fun,” adds Shoaf.

This is the quality he shares with the character. The young artist is passionate about learning different forms of martial arts. His role in Ang Mutya ng Section E even gained popularity for its fighter edge.

“I see a lot of similarities between me and Topee,” he shares. “We love staying active, but at the same time, I think we both prefer keeping much of what’s going on in our lives to ourselves.”

Most teenagers, or even adults, have felt emotions that are hard to explain. These feelings are at the heart of Bagets The Musical.

“The story is about us,” he explains. “Just a different timeline, different variables, but the same plot.”

Having appeared on The Voice Kids Philippines and Your Face Sounds Familiar, Shoaf says he’s excited to bring that heart to the stage through acting, singing, and dancing.

Such vibrant production captures that messy, thrilling ride of growing up. It shows that the magic of adolescence never truly disappears; it simply evolves over time.

Bagets The Musical is scheduled to run from January 23 to March 2026 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, with more cast members to be revealed soon. Joining Moses and Shoaf in the lead cast are Noel Comia Jr. and Tomas Rodriguez as Gilbert, Milo Cruz and Migo Valid as Tonton, and Ethan David and KD Estrada as Arnel. 

The musical is produced by Newport World Resorts in cooperation with VIVA Communications Inc. and The Philippine STAR, guided by the vision of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) Plus, with Maribel Legarda, playwright J-mee Katanyag, and musical director Vince Lim. Bagets the Musical is also supported in partnership with Sun Life Philippines. 

Learn more about the artists and the production through VIVA Communications Inc. (@vivaartistsagency), The Philippine STAR (@philippinestar), and Newport World Resorts (@newportworldresorts) on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Sign up for the waitlist now via https://newportworldresorts.com/bagets-musical-waitlist to be the first in line for tickets.

Bagets The Musical shows no signs of slowing down its big barkada reveal.

Ethan David on embracing the challenge

Ethan David

KD Estrada on becoming one with Arnel

KD Estrada